Fuse socket



July 25, 1939. J c, WIN 2,166,985

FUSE SOCKET Filed July 9, 1938 @WW /7- 3 J7 fie i INVENT OR. BY day 6.fiowmy Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates in general to fuse sockets and more particularly tofuse sockets adjustably arranged for electrical connections betweenterminals spaced at various distances apart.

In the wiring systems for buildings which were constructed several yearsago, the circuits were designed to be protected against overloads by theuse of fuse wires connected between spaced terminals.

An object of my invention is to eliminate the fuse wires in thesecircuits and to substitute therefor a threadable fuse socket which isadapted to receive a fuse provided in a threaded plug. In mounting athreadable fuse socket in association with the spaced terminals of anold wiring system, a great deal of difficulty is encountered in makingthe threadable fuse socket universal in order to fit the spacedterminals having various distances between same.

Another object of my invention is to eliminate this difficulty byproviding a threadable fuse socket having adjustable arranged electricalconnections for accommodating terminals spaced at various distancesapart. While my invention finds particular application to themodernization of the wiring systems, it is particularly to be pointedout that my invention finds utility in association with any wiringsystem to protect the circuits against overload.

Another object of my invention is the provision of swingable connectinglinks which may be adjustably set to accommodate terminals spaced atvarious distances apart in which the adjustments are made by means ofthe screws that make electrical connections with the threadable fuseplug.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a simple and reliableconstruction which may be manufactured with a minimum number of parts.

Another object of my invention is to employ the screws which makeelectrical connections with the threaded fuse plug for the additionalpurpose of adjustably setting the position of the swingable connectinglinks which are connected to the terminals of the wiring circuit.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a fragmentary portion of a panel board having anelectrical circuit in which my fuse socket may be mounted;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional and enlarged View of my fuse socket, takenalong the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a View looking upwardly from underneath my fuse socket.

A wiring system for buildings may comprise a 5 panel board having aplurality of circuits and switches connected to a plurality of bus barsto give sectionalized control over the various branches of theelectrical circuit. In Figure 1 of the drawing, I have illustrated afragmentary portion of a panel board illustrating a switch 10 which maybe electrically connected to bus bars II and i2. Electrically associatedwith one side of the switch It] is a pair of spaced terminals [3 and I4,and electrically associated with the other side of the switch is a pairof spaced terminals I5 and [6. The switch Hi, the bus bars II and I2,and the terminals may be suitably mounted on a panel board indicated bythe reference character H. In the wiring system for build ings whichwere constructed several years ago, the circuits, such for example, asthe one illustrated in Figure 1, were designed to be protected againstoverload by the use of a fuse wire connected respectively between theterminals l3 and I4 and the terminals i5 and Hi. In accordance with anobject of my invention I eliminate the employment of the fuse wires andsubstitute therefor a threadable fuse socket indicated generally by thereference character 20.

In the interest of simplicity and economy of manufacture, my threadablefuse socket 20 comprises generally an insulated housing 2| having arecess 22 into which is positioned a threadable fuse receptacle 23adapted to receive a thread- 35 able fuse plug such as now may bepurchased cm the market. The bottom of the threadable fuse receptacle 23is provided with a laterally disposed fiange 24 which is arranged toengage the bottom of the recess. The laterally disposed flange 24 isprovided with two openings 25 and 26 which receive respectively thescrews 32 and 33. As illustrated in Figure 2, the head of the screw 32is arranged to make electrical contact with the fuse receptacle 23 andholds the same in a secured position within the recess 22. The head ofthe screw 33 is arranged to be electrically insulated from thethreadable fuse receptacle 23. To this end, the opening 26 in thelaterally disposed flange 24 is enlarged to receive a raised 50 shoulder21 against which the head of the screwl 33 engages. By means of thisconstruction, the head of the screw 33 constitutes a terminal which isdesigned to be electrically connected to one side of a threadable fuseplug fitting in the u threadable fuse receptacle 23, which receptacleconstitutes the other side of the circuit for the connection with thethreadable fuse plug.

The screws 32 and 33 fit into openings 28 and 29 provided in the base ofthe insulated housing 2| and their lower ends threadably engage threadedopenings 36 and 3? provided in the respective ends of a pair ofswingable connecting links 34 and 35. The adjacent ends of the swingableconnecting links 34 and are electrically separated by means of a ridgeportion 3| integrally formed with the bottom of the insulated housing 2l The insulated rib 3i may be of any particular shape in order to enablethe swingable connecting links 34 and 35 to swing about the screws 32and 33 and may comprise an enlarged portion 3!! as indicated in Figure 3which constitutes a support for the insulated housing 2i when theinsulated housing 2! is mounted directly against a panel board. Theouter ends of the swingable connecting links 34 and 35 may be providedrespectively with slotted openings 38 and 39 to provide furtheraccommodation for fitting terminals of various distances between thesame.

In mounting my fuse socket between spaced terminals, such for example,as the terminals i3 and i i, in Figure 1, the two screws 32 and 33 areslightly loosened to permit the swingable connecting links 3 3 and 35 tobe rotated about the screws 32 and 33 until the slotted opening 38 and39 register with the threaded openings provided in the terminals i3 and#4, after which the screws 40 and ii may be inserted through the slottedopenings 38 and 39 and threadably engage the terminals i3 and I4. Afterthe position of the swingable connecting links 34 and 35 is determined,the two screws 32 and 33 may then be tightened to provide a goodelectrical and mechanical connection. Inasmuch as the connecting linksmay be rotated about the screws 32 and 33, my fuse socket becomessubstantially universally adaptable to terminals of various distancesbetween the same. To protect the circuit against overload, thethreadable fuse socket need be only connected to one side of the lineand the other side of the line may be connected, such for example,between the terminals E5 and it by a wire 44 under the screws 42 and 43,which wire is substituted in place of a fuse wire. While I havedescribed my invention as being particularly adaptable to modernizingelectrical circuits of buildings which were constructed several yearsago, it is manifest that my invention finds par ticular utility inconnection with electrical circults of all kinds requiring fuses forprotecting the circuits against overload.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed,

I claim as my invention:

1. A fuse socket adjustably arranged for electrical connection betweenterminals of various distances between same comprising, in combination,an insulated housing having a recess, said insulated housing having twospaced openings extending from the bottom of the recess to the bottom ofthe housing, a fuse receptacle mounted in the recess, the bottom of saidreceptacle having a laterally disposed flange portion arranged to engagea side portion of the bottom of the recess, said flange portion havingan opening" registering with one of said spaced openings, an electricalconnecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulated housing, saidconnecting link having a threadable opening provided in one of its endsand positioned in alignment with one of said spaced openings, a secondelectrical connecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulatedhousing, said second connecting link having a threadable openingprovided in one of its ends and positioned in alignment with the otherof said spaced openings, a screw extending through the opening in theflange portion and the registering spaced opening and threadablyengaging the threadable opening of said first mentioned connecting link,said screw electrically connecting the fuse receptacle and the firstmentioned connecting link together and also securing same to theinsulated housing, a second screw extending through the other saidspaced opening and threadably engaging the threadable opening in thesaid second connecting link and securing same to the insulated housing,said second screw having a head constituting terminal means within thesaid recess, said connecting links being swingable about the said screwsand accommodating terminals of various distances between same.

2. A fuse socket adjustably arranged for electrical connection betweenterminals of various distances between same, comprising, in combination,an insulated housing having a recess, said insulated housing having twospaced openings extending from the bottom of the recess to the bottom ofthe housing, a fuse receptacle mounted in the recess, the bottom of saidreceptacle having a laterally disposed flange portion arranged to engagea side portion of the bottom of the recess, said flange portion havingan opening registering with one of said spaced openings, an electricalconnecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulated housing, saidconnecting link having a threadable opening provided in one of its endsand positioned in alignment with one of said spaced openings, a secondelectrical connecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulatedhousing, said second connecting link having a threadable openingprovided in one of its ends and positioned in alignment with the otherof said spaced openings, a screw extending through the opening in theflange portion and the registering spaced opening and threadablyengaging the threadable opening of said first mentioned connecting link,said screw electrically connecting the fuse receptacle and the firstmentioned connecting link together and also securing same to theinsulated housing, a second screw extending through the other saidspaced opening and threadably engaging the threadable opening in thesaid second connecting link and securing same to the insulated housing,said second screw having a head constituting terminal means within thesaid recess, said connecting links being swingable about the said screwsand accommodating terminals of various distances between same, saidhousing having a rib portion extending between the adjacent ends of theconnecting links.

3. A fuse socket adjustably arranged for electrical connection betweenterminals of various distances between same, comprising, in combination,an insulated housing having a recess, said insulated housing having twospaced openings extending from the bottom of the recess to the bottom ofthe housing, a fuse receptacle mounted in the recess, the bottom of saidreceptacle having a laterally disposed flange portion arranged to engagea side portion of the bottom of the recess, said flange portion havingan opening registering with one of said spaced openings, an electricalconnecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulated housing, saidconnecting link having an opening provided in one of its ends andpositioned in alignment with one of said spaced openings, a secondelectrical connecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulatedhousing, said second connecting link having an opening provided in oneof its ends and positioned in alignment with the other of said spacedopenings, engaging means extending through the opening in the flangeportion and the registering spaced opening and engaging the opening ofsaid first mentioned connecting link, said engaging means electricallyconnecting the fuse receptacle and the first mentioned connecting linktogether and also securing same to the insulated housing, secondengaging means extending through the other said spaced opening andengaging the opening in the said second connecting link and securingsame to the insulated housing, said second engaging means having aportion constituting terminal means within the said recess, said connecting links being swingable about the said engaging means andaccommodating terminals of various distances between same.

4. A fuse socket adjustably arranged for electrical connection betweenterminals of Various distances between same, comprising, in combination,an insulated housing having a recess, said insulated housing having twospaced openings extending from the bottom of the recess to the bottom ofthe housing, a fuse receptacle mounted in the recess, the bottom of saidreceptacle having a laterally disposed flange portion arranged to engagea side portion of the bottom of the recess, said flange portion havingan opening registering with one of said spaced openings, an electricalconnecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulated housing, saidconnecting link having an opening provided in one of its ends andpositioned in alignment with one of said spaced openings, a secondelectrical connecting link swingably positioned beneath the insulatedhousing, said second connecting link ha ing an opening provided in oneof its ends and positioned in alignment with the other of said spacedopenings, engaging means extending through the opening in the flangeportion and the registering spaced opening and engaging the opening ofsaid first mentioned connecting link, said engaging means electricallyconnecting the fuse receptacle and the first mentioned connecting linktogether and also securing same to the insulated housing, secondengaging means extending through the other said spaced opening andengaging the opening in the said second connecting link and securingsame to the insulated housing, said second engaging means having aportion constituting terminal means Within the said recess, saidconnecting links being swingable about the said engaging means andaccommodating terminals of various distances between same, said housinghaving a raised portion extending between the adjacent ends of theconnecting links.

5. An electrical socket adjustably arranged for electrical connectionbetween terminals of various distances between same, comprising, incombination, an insulated housing having a recess, said insulatedhousing having two spaced openings extending from the bottom of therecess to the bottom of the housing, a receptacle mounted in the recess,said receptacle having a portion with an opening registering with one ofsaid spaced openings, an electrical connecting link swingably positionedbeneath the insulated housing, said connecting link having an openingprovided in one of its ends and positioned in alignment with one of saidspaced openings, a second electrical connecting link swingablypositioned beneath the insulated housing, said second connecting linkhaving opening provided in one of its ends and positioned in alignmentwith the other of said spaced openings, engaging means extending throughthe opening in the said portion of the receptacle and the registeringspaced opening and engaging the opening of said first mentionedconnecting link, said engaging means electrically connecting thereceptacle and the first mentioned connecting link together and alsosecuring same to the insulated housing, second engaging means extendingthrough the other said spaced opening and engaging the opening in thesaid second connecting link and securing same to the insulated housing,said second engaging means having a portion constituting terminal meanswithin the said recess, said connecting links being swingable about thesaid engaging means and accommodating terminals of various distancesbetween same.

6. An electrical socket adjustably arranged for electrical connectionbetween terminals of various distances between same, comprising, incombination, an insulated housing having a recess, said insulatedhousing having two spaced openings extending from the inside of therecess to the outside of the housing, a receptacle mounted in therecess, said receptacle having a portion with an opening registeringwith one of said spaced openings, an electrical connecting linkswingably positioned outside the insulated housing, said connecting linkhaving an opening provided in one of its ends and positioned inalignment with one of said spaced openings, a second electricalconnecting link swingably positioned outside of the insulated housing,said second connecting link having an opening provided in one of itsends and positioned in alignment with the other of said spaced opening,engaging means extending through the opening in the said portion of thereceptacle and the registering spaced opening and engaging the openingof said first mentioned connecting link, said engaging meanselectrically connecting the receptacle and the first mentionedconnecting link together and also securing same to the insulatedhousing, second engaging means extending through the other said spacedopening and engaging the opening in the said second connecting link andsecuring same to the insulated housing, said second engaging meanshaving a portion constituting terminal means within the said recess,said connecting links being swingable about said engaging means andaccommodating terminals of various distances between same.

JAY C. COWING.

